The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee recently advanced legislation that would prohibit certain foreign entities from entering into contracts for the ownership, leasing, or operation of U.S. port facilities that are subject to security plans.
The Secure Our Ports Act of 2025 would prohibit an entity that is a Chinese, Russian, North Korean, or Iranian state-owned enterprise, or a foreign entity with a percentage is owned by one of those four countries from owning, leasing, or operating port facilities.
“I want to thank my colleagues on the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee as well as Chairman Sam Graves (R-MO) for advancing the Secure Our Ports Act and taking an important step in protecting our critically important ports facilities,” U.S. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-CA), who introduced the bill, said. “America’s ports are essential gateways for trade and commerce. We cannot jeopardize our national security by allowing foreign adversaries, like China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, to own and operate port infrastructure.”
The U.S. Department of Defense included several Chinese shipping firms on a list of companies that are military in nature. China owns or operates ports and terminals in more than 50 countries.
The Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party issued a report highlighting national security concerns regarding port infrastructure and Chinese-owned enterprises.